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I know a lot of you are big fans of the Focal line of audio monitors. Are any of you using the Shape or Alpha budget oriented speakers, or is all the praise for the high-end line?

Thanks in advance....

I am really enjoying my Focal Alpha 80's. Not at all fatiguing to listen to, very nice detail from the reverse dome tweeter, no need for a sub. I think the Shape line is also worth checking out. Just read a good review on those in the latest Sound On Sound, I believe it was.

The Alpha 80s are one product I'm looking at, so thanks for that.

Never mind. I'm going with a pair of Genelec 8050a speakers.

Are you going to use a sub or no?

I have never needed a sub with speakers that will go under 40hz. I'm always mixing for TV or mobile video games... the end user never has a sub, so I don't either.

Gravity Jim wrote:I have never needed a sub with speakers that will go under 40hz. I'm always mixing for TV or mobile video games... the end user never has a sub, so I don't either.

Hmmm... have you checked out home theater and gaming systems lately? The end users have subs — ok, they're usually terrible subs but they have them.

You missed a word: mobile games. I'm mixing for earbuds when I'm doing that kind of thing, or, worse yet, the speakers in an iPad. Mixing for radio and TV the rest of the time, commercial work. No need for room shaking lows in a TV spot, or at least none I've ever scored.

I've been mixing on Event 20/20bas V1s or V3s for 22 years. What I'm looking for from the Gennies is greater clarity, a better stereo field and that sweet, sweet high end. They go down to 35hz, and I am often rolling off everything under 30, anyway.

Gravity Jim wrote:You missed a word: mobile games. I'm mixing for earbuds when I'm doing that kind of thing, or, worse yet, the speakers in an iPad. Mixing for radio and TV the rest of the time, commercial work. No need for room shaking lows in a TV spot, or at least none I've ever scored.

I've been mixing on Event 20/20bas V1s or V3s for 22 years. What I'm looking for from the Gennies is greater clarity, a better stereo field and that sweet, sweet high end. They go down to 35hz, and I am often rolling off everything under 30, anyway.

I was just giving you a hard time.

I really like the 8050. I have a friend with a pair and yes, the highs are higher (I think — I have 63 year old ears) and the lows are just a bit lower than my Equators.

Not a big fan of the Event 20/20bas which many around here use. They're ok but...

I can certainly see not using a sub for what you do.

Congrats on finding something that works for you.

Thanks, Mike. I really like that "characteristic Genelec sound," and while the Events are cheap, they've served me well. Not that I'm not glad as heck to be replacing them!

mikehalloran wrote:I can certainly see not using a sub for what you do.

...as long as you religiously remember to roll off your mix at 40Hz! Subs are a great way to avoid undesired power-robbing pops, thumps and booms, no matter what medium is being mixed for.

Good advice. I made a demo mix once and the lead vocal was a scratch track that I did using a handheld dynamic mic while sitting at my workstation. Turns out there was low end mic handling I didn't even hear with my monitors.

Yeah, I think I mentioned above that I almost always roll off the mix, with a soft knee but a rapid fall, at 30hz. I'm rarely mixing for playback on a system where people can feel those freq's.

Installed the Genelecs this morning. All I can say is, holy cow. It's almost not like listening to speakers, more like listening to music in the air. I can suddenly hear so far back into the midrange that the reverb tail on a snare hit in the middle of a huge orchestral mix - just the verb, I'm talking - can be heard all the way out. Highs are so high and so smooth.

The 8050s are doing exactly what I'd hoped: providing much greater clarity and a vastly improved stereo image. I wish I could have afforded them a long time ago.

BTW, I got these from Studio Trilogy in San Francisco, who are selling off some choice pieces following their shuttering, thanks to the rapacious SF real estate market. Their not moving Studio T., but have some exciting plans for their future as partners.

#stilldon'tneedasub